1. Set Focus
Frame the inquiry with these essential questions: What ideas does a monarchy symbolize? Can a society truly be a democracy if its government is a constitutional monarchy? Explain.
2. Read and Discuss
Have students read the debate and then answer the following questions:
- What is the issue being debated? How does it relate to current events? (The issue is whether the U.K. should keep its monarchy in place. The death of Queen Elizabeth II, who was widely adored, has prompted some people in the U.K. to question the value of the institution.)
- Evaluate why these two authors might be interested in and qualified to comment on this issue. (Phillip Blond, the director of a British think tank, strongly supports the monarchy. Graham Smith is the chief executive officer of a group that wants Britain to become a republic.)